JP2868072B2 - Communication device route selection method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication device path selection method for selecting a communication path between communication devices forming a plurality of nodes in a communication network, and more particularly to a consumable element having a limited capacity such as a battery. The present invention relates to a route selection method for a communication device capable of selecting an optimum route in a communication network including a communication device having a communication device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of path selection method of a communication apparatus, traffic averaging and communication path length, error rate, and communication charge are applied to a plurality of communication paths in a communication network. Means for selecting an optimal communication path based on minimization or the like is employed.

For example, in the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-88533, the number of hops (the number of nodes in a communication path), delay time, error rate, and communication fee are provided as selection criteria. When transmitting data, the user weights these criteria, and sends the weighted data together with the information data as route designation data. Each node selects a data transmission path based on the received path instruction data.

On the other hand, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei.
There is a technique described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H11-26095. In this method, the source node sends out a frame for route selection to all the connected lines, and the relay nodes receiving the frame for route selection sequentially add their own node addresses and have passed through. A route selection frame in which the own node address is added to all the lines except the line is transmitted. As a result, the route to be selected is determined based on the route selection frame first received by the destination node. With this configuration, a faulty line can be excluded from the selected route and a communication line can be set and connected in the shortest time, so that the optimum route at that time can be selected.

[0005]

In the above-described conventional communication device path selection method, a communication device forming a node of a communication network is configured by an uninterruptible power supply using a rechargeable battery and an automatic generator at the time of a power failure. However, as is clear from the two examples in the publication, the consumption of the battery is not considered. However, in remote communication devices, the uninterruptible power supply is incomplete, and there are many opportunities to operate only with batteries, including power failures in communication devices. For this reason, especially in a communication device of an unmanned transmitting station that requires a particularly large output, it is necessary to avoid using the communication device as much as possible. Since there is no limitation, there is a problem in that the battery is drastically consumed and the communication device is more likely to be unusable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a communication network including a communication device having a limited capacity consumable element such as a battery by adding a consumable element condition such as a battery to the path selection condition. It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication device path selection method capable of selecting an optimum path for preventing element consumption.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a route selection method for a communication device, comprising: a communication device for optimally selecting a communication route between communication devices forming a plurality of nodes in a communication network; When the request for communication route selection data is received by a route information request,
While notifying the request source of the degree of consumption of the consumable element, transmitting a predetermined path information request to all predetermined paths at a predetermined time,
Upon receiving a plurality of replies of the path information request, at least one path via the communication device with the least consumption degree of the included consumable element is selected from the plurality of replies and stored as path selection data. When data is transmitted, there is provided means for extracting the stored route selection data, inserting it into a predetermined position of the transmission data, and transmitting the data.

[0008] Further, the route information request may include, at a predetermined position, an ID (identifier) for uniquely identifying a node in a communication network.
Among them, the source node ID and the destination node ID, and the consumption degree of the consumable element of the own node, the source node is transmitted to all nodes that can directly communicate with the own node ID as the source node ID, Next, the relay node sequentially adds data including the ID of the own node and the degree of consumption of the consumable element to the received route information request, and transmits the request to all directly communicable nodes except the transmission source and the relay node. Each communication device includes means for appending a predetermined acknowledgment message to the end of the received data, sequentially relaying the relay nodes on the outward route through the reverse route, and returning to the source node.

[0009]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the route selection method of the communication device shown in FIG. 1, a storage device 1, an input / output unit 2, a route information requesting unit 3, a route information request receiving relay unit 4, a battery remaining amount detecting unit 5, a battery 6 as a consumable element. , A route selecting means 7, a data transmitting / receiving means 8, and a communication means 9 are provided.

The storage device 1 includes a predetermined own node ID for uniquely identifying a node in the communication network previously input from the input / output means 2, a directly connected node ID capable of directly communicating, and a transmission requirement required for transmission. While storing and storing the electric energy,
It has a storage area for storing the remaining battery level measured by the remaining battery level detecting means 5 and the route selection data selected by the route selecting means 7.

The input / output means 2 is provided in the storage device 1
D, a directly connected node ID capable of direct communication, and a required transmission power required for transmission are input in advance, and when route information is periodically requested from the route information requesting means 3 and data to be transmitted is generated. Is sent to the data transmitting / receiving means 8,
On the other hand, when data is received, the data is received from the data transmission / reception means 8 and output to a screen or a printer.

The route information requesting means 3, when periodically driven by the input / output means 2, reads out the stored data from the storage device 1 and reads out the source node ID, the destination node ID,
In addition, a packet of a route information request as shown in FIG.
And further adds one directly communicable node ID that can be directly communicated to the header of the packet one by one.
, And the communication means 9 sequentially transmits the data via a communication line. The operation will be described later with reference to FIG.

When the destination node ID of the routing information request is the own node ID in the packet received from the communication device of the other node, the reception relay unit 4 for the routing information request includes a predetermined confirmation message at the end of the routing information request. To create a packet and send (return) it to the node with the previous ID on the route opposite to the outward route.

Further, the reception relay means 4 is provided with a destination node I
When D receives a packet of a route information request different from the own node ID from the communication device of another node, if there is no confirmation message, the ID of the own node, the remaining battery level, and the required transmission power amount are specified at the end. Creates a packet by adding it to the position and sends it to all directly communicable nodes other than the node ID included in the received route information request, and if there is a confirmation message, a route opposite to the forward route It is assumed that the packet of the route information request received to the node having the ID immediately before the own node ID is transmitted as it is.

If the source node ID of the route information request received from the communication device of another node is its own node ID and there is an acknowledgment message, the reception relay means 4 returns the received route information request as return data. It is assumed that the data is taken in and output to the route selecting means 7.

The main operation of the reception relay means 4 will be described later with reference to FIG.

The battery remaining amount detecting means 5 detects the remaining amount of the battery 6 and stores it in the storage device 1 as the remaining battery amount.

The route selection means 7 sequentially receives the return data from the reception relay means 4, compares the return data of different paths with respect to the same route information request data, and calculates the minimum value of the value obtained by dividing the remaining battery power by the required transmission power. Performing a route selection procedure of selecting at least one route having the largest value to create route selection data, storing the selected route selection data in a predetermined area of the storage device 1, and storing the selected route selection data in the storage device 1; I do. As a result, it is possible to select and store a communication path via a communication device of a node having a consumable element with a sufficient reserve, that is, a communication device through which a longer operation time can be secured.

When transmitting data, the data transmission / reception means 8 reads the route selection data from the storage device 1 to the destination node, adds the read route selection data before the transmission data to create a packet, It is to be transmitted to a communication line via the communication means 9. When the data transmitting / receiving means 8 receives the packet of the transmission data from the communication line,
If the own node ID matches the destination node ID of the route selection data, the received data is taken in. If not, the data is sent to the node in the next order ID of the own node ID. The details of the operation procedure will be described later with reference to FIG.

The communication means 9 receives the transmission route information request from the route information request means 3 in the form of a packet. It is assumed that data is transmitted and received between each packet as a packet, transmitted to a designated partner node via a communication line, and the packet received via the communication line is distributed.

Next, the main operation procedure for requesting the route information will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the packet of the route information request has a format in which data is arranged in the order of the source node ID, the destination node ID, the remaining battery level of the source node, and the required transmission power. I do.

First, in response to a request from the input / output means 2, the path information request means 3 reads data from the storage device 1 and creates a path information request packet as shown in FIG. 2 as described above (step S1). ), All the directly connected node IDs of the direct transmission destination are added one by one to the header of this packet, and the packet is sequentially output to the communication means 9, and the communication means 9 sends the packet to the communication line (step S2). Thereafter, the communication device waits for return packets for the plurality of route information request packets that have been sent (step S3).

Next, with reference to FIG. 4, a description will be given of a format of a packet created and transmitted by the route information request receiving and relaying means 4 of FIG. 1 as a relay node.

FIG. 4A shows the format of a packet transmitted from the first relay node. The route information request data shown in FIG. , And the required transmission power amount.

FIG. 4B shows the format of a packet transmitted from the second relay node. The format of the packet shown in FIG. The data of the content added by the relay node is included.

FIG. 4C shows a format transmitted by the destination node that has received the packet shown in FIG. 4B, and a confirmation message is added at the end.

Next, a main operation procedure for receiving and relaying a route information request will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, the communication means 9 receives the path information request data as a packet from the communication line (step S11), and sends the received packet to the reception relay means 4. Receiving relay means 4
Checks the destination node ID of the route information request data of the received packet (step S12). If the step S12 is "NO" and the own node is not the destination, it checks whether there is a trailing confirmation message (step S13).

If the step S13 is "NO" and there is no confirmation message, the reception relay means 4 judges the received packet to be an outgoing packet and checks whether or not there is an ID of its own node (step S14). If this step S14 is "YES" and the packet has its own node ID, the procedure proceeds to step S20, where the received packet is discarded.

On the other hand, if the step S14 is "NO" and the packet does not have its own node ID,
Checks the direct connection node other than the transmission source node and the transit node in the packet from the direct connection node ID of the storage device 1 (step S15), and if there is no direct connection node (N in step S16)
O), proceed to step S20 to discard the received packet.

If the step S16 is "YES" and there is a directly connected node, the reception relay means 4 adds data to the end of the received packet as shown in FIG. 4 (step S17),
This packet is sent to the directly connected node (procedure S18).

On the other hand, if step S12 is "YES" and the destination node ID is its own node ID, this is the end point of the route information request, and the return procedure is performed. That is, the reception relay unit 4 adds a confirmation message to the end of the received packet as shown in FIG. 4 (step S21), and transmits the received packet to the node having the ID immediately before its own node ID. A new packet is returned (procedure S22).

If the determination in step S13 is "YES" and there is an acknowledgment message, the received packet is the return packet of the route information request, and if the source node ID of the received packet is not its own node ID (procedure N of S31
O), the receiving relay means 4 returns a new packet to the node having the ID immediately before its own node ID S
Perform 22.

If the step S31 is "YES" and the source node ID of the received packet is its own node ID, the reception relay means 4 returns the received packet to the routing information request transmitted by the communication device. Is sent to the path selecting means 7, and the path selecting means 7 selects a communication path for avoiding consumption of the consumable element by the above-described path selecting procedure (step S 32).

Next, transmission and reception of data information will be described with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 6 and FIG. FIG. 6 is a format diagram showing an example in which route selection data is added to transmission data (A) and reply data (B). FIG.
In the example shown in (A), the storage device 1 is placed before the transmission data.
The ID "DAB" of the node from the source to the destination based on the route selection data read out from the node is added, and FIG.
In the example shown in (B), the ID “BAD” of the node in the reverse order from the source to the destination is added before the return data.

First, as for transmission of transmission data, as shown in FIG. 7A, the data transmission / reception device 8 selects route selection data (for example, when the node ID is set to the destination node with its own node as a source). "DAB") is read from the storage device 1 and added to the front of the transmission data (step S51) to form a packet, and the own node ID "D" which is the source node ID ID of next order of
The packet is sent to the node A of "A" (procedure S52).

When receiving data, the data transmitting / receiving device 8
First, when a data packet is received (procedure S6
1) It is checked whether or not the destination of the first route selection data is its own node (step S62).

If the step S62 is "YES" and the destination is its own node, the data transmitting / receiving device 8 fetches the received data internally and stores it in the storage device 1 (step S6).
3), together with the node ID “D-
The order of “AB” is reversed, and the node ID is changed to “BA-
D ”(step S64), and adds this to the front of the reply data to form a packet.
The data is transmitted to the node A having the ID “A” in the order following “D” (procedure S65). On the other hand, if the procedure S62 is "NO" and the destination is not its own node, the data transmitting / receiving apparatus 8 uses the route selection data in the packet to send the received format to the node with the ID next to its own node ID. The data is transmitted without change (step S69).

In the above description, it has been described that the route information request is made periodically. However, the request may be made not at regular intervals but at a different time. Also, the functions are allocated to the blocks and illustrated, and the operation procedure is illustrated and described.
Before and after the procedure is free as long as the above function is satisfied, and the above description does not limit the present invention.

[0041]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First, as a first embodiment, a case where a communication line connecting each node is a wireless transmission line will be described.
In a normal wireless communication unit, the transmission output from the antenna is large, so that the load on the power supply is large. For this reason, in each node, as shown in FIG. 1, the required transmission power amount of its own node is stored in advance in the storage device 1, and the required transmission power amount is shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. And, as described above, it is added to the format by an information request for route selection.

As described above, the node receiving the return data in response to the route information request compares the degree of consumption obtained by dividing the remaining battery power by the required power for transmission, and determines the minimum value at the relay node for each return data. Then, the communication path having the maximum value is selected by comparing the minimum value of each return data.

Next, a second embodiment of the packet format for transmitting the route information request data via the wired transmission path will be specifically described with reference to FIG. 8 and FIGS. .

As shown in FIG. 8, in a communication network, communication lines are connected in a ring shape like node A-node B-node C-node D-node A, and node D It is assumed that E is connected. A communication line connecting the nodes A, B, C, D, and E is a wired transmission line, and each of the nodes A, B, C, D, and E has a node ID “A, B, C, and D”. , E ″ are given, and the remaining battery powers 100, 100, 80, 50, 6
0 is stored in a predetermined storage area, while FIG.
It is assumed that there is no area for the required transmission power amount in FIGS. 2 and 4.

Therefore, the directly connected node ID shown in FIG.
Is the ID of the node directly connected by the communication line
In the node A, "B, D", and in the node B, "A,
C, “B, D” at node C, “A,
"C" and "E" and "D" at node E.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the route selection for the communication route from the node D to the node B.

First, at the source node D, as shown in FIG. 2, the source node (own node) ID “D”, the destination node ID “B”, and the remaining battery capacity of the node D 50
Creates the route information request data "DB-50", and inserts the ID of the destination node to be directly sent to the route information request data "DB-50" into a predetermined position of the header, thereby generating the route information request data "DB-50". Request data "DB-5
0 "is sent to the line DA to the node A, the line DC to the node C, and the line DE to the node E, which are directly connected.

In the relay node A, the format "DB-A" in which the ID "A" of the node A and the remaining battery amount 100 are added to the end of the route information request data (DB-50) in the received packet. 50-A-100 "is created, and packets including this format are all directly connected nodes B and D except the source and relayed nodes, in this example, only node B. The data is transmitted to the line AB as the node B.

Similarly to the node A, the relay node C also has the format “DB-50-C-C” in which the ID “C” of its own node C and the remaining battery power 80 are added to the end of the received data.
80 "is created and packets containing this format are directly connected to all the nodes B and D except the source and relayed nodes, in this example, only the node B. Sent to CB.

In the node E, the route information request data (DB-50) in the received packet is not an incoming call to its own node and there is no partner to relay and transfer. -B-50 "is discarded.

The destination node B knows the arrival to itself by the destination node ID-B of the route information request included in the received packet, and receives the two formats "DB"
-50-A-100 and DB-50-C-80 "are added with a confirmation message at the end, and the routing information request is returned. That is, the created format" DB-50-A "is returned. The “-100-confirmation” is sent to the line BA for the node having the last ID “A”, and the last ID “C” containing the format “DB-50-C-80-confirmation” is included. Is sent out to the line BC for the node of.

In the received format, the relay nodes A and C transfer the received format to the node having the ID immediately before its own node ID, in this example, the source node D.

The source node D is the source node ID.
Two formats including "D""DB-50-A-
100-confirmation, DB-50-C-80-confirmation ") are received as a reply to the route information request, and the minimum value of the remaining battery level Ta in each format is checked. In this example, two communication routes are used. On the other hand, there is a battery remaining amount 100 of the node A and a battery remaining amount 80 of the node C. Then, the two are compared, and the communication path “DA-A-” via the node A having the maximum battery remaining amount 100 is compared. B "is selected and stored as route selection data in the storage device.

Further, as another embodiment, when a wired transmission line and a wireless transmission line are mixed as a communication network, the weight of the degree of wear for each type is weighted and compared. By selecting the minimum value of the degree of wear and then selecting the maximum value of the degree of wear between each communication path, an optimal path can be selected.

In the above description, the consumable element is limited to a battery, but may be another one.

[0056]

As described above, according to the present invention, the consumption degree of a consumable element is periodically recorded, and when a request for communication path selection data is received by a path information request, the recorded consumable element is recorded. While notifying the requester of the degree of wear of the request, a predetermined route information request is transmitted to all predetermined routes at a predetermined time, and when a plurality of replies of the route information request are received, the plurality of replies are included. At least one route via the communication device with the least degree of wear of the consumable element is selected and stored as route selection data. On the other hand, when data is transmitted, the stored route selection data is taken out and the transmission data is transmitted. A route selection method for a communication device that inserts and transmits at a predetermined position is obtained. According to this configuration, it is possible to obtain a communication device route selection method that can perform optimal route selection for preventing consumption of a consumable element even in a communication network including a communication device having a consumable element with a limited capacity such as a battery. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing one embodiment (first embodiment) of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a format diagram showing one embodiment of route information request data used in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of a route information request procedure in the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a format diagram showing one embodiment of data formed by a route information request used in the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of a reception relay procedure in the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a format diagram showing one embodiment of route selection data according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of a transmission / reception procedure of communication data in the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a communication network connection diagram showing an embodiment (second embodiment) of the present invention and an explanatory diagram of a format of a route information request data transmitted between nodes.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 storage device 2 input / output means 3 path information request means 4 reception relay means (for requesting path information) 5 battery remaining amount detection means 6 battery 7 path selection means 8 data transmission / reception means 9 communication means

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04L 12/56 H04M 3/00 H04Q 3/64

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] In a communication device route selection method for optimally selecting a communication route between communication devices forming a plurality of nodes in a communication network, the communication device periodically records a degree of consumption of a consumable element. Also, when a request for communication path selection data is received by a path information request, the request source is notified of the degree of wear of the consumable element, and at a predetermined time, a predetermined path information request is transmitted to all predetermined paths, Upon receiving a plurality of replies of the path information request, at least one path via the communication device with the least consumption degree of the included consumable element is selected from the plurality of replies and stored as path selection data. A route selection method for a communication apparatus, comprising: means for extracting stored route selection data when transmitting data, inserting the data into a predetermined position of transmission data, and transmitting the data. 2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the route information request includes an ID (identifier) for uniquely identifying a node in the communication network.
The source node ID, the destination node ID, and the degree of wear of the consumable element of the own node are included in predetermined positions, and the source node transmits the own node ID as the source node ID to all nodes that can directly communicate with each other. Then, the relay node adds data including the ID of the own node and the degree of consumption of the consumable element to a predetermined position of the received route information request, and transmits the request to all directly communicable nodes except the source and the relay node. A destination node adds a predetermined acknowledgment message to the end of the received data, and sequentially relays the outward relay node on the reverse route to return to the source node. . 3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the consumable element is a battery, and the communication device adds the remaining battery power as a degree of consumption to the route information request and transmits the request. Route selection method. 4. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device transmits a remaining battery amount and a transmission output as a consumable element to the route information request and transmits the route information request to a source node. When returning, a route selection method of a communication device, wherein a value obtained by dividing a remaining battery level of each relay node by a transmission output is selected as a degree of consumption of a consumable element. 5. A communication device route selection method for selecting a communication route between communication devices forming a plurality of nodes in a communication network, wherein the communication device uniquely identifies a node in the communication network. A storage device having a storage area for storing its own node ID and a directly connected node ID capable of directly communicating and storing a measured remaining battery level and selected route selection data; and detecting a remaining battery level. A battery remaining amount detecting means for storing the remaining battery amount in the storage device; a source node ID and a destination node ID at a predetermined time;
A route information requesting means for forming a route information request including the battery remaining amount of the own node at a predetermined position by inserting the own node ID into the source node ID and sending the route information request to all directly communicable nodes; If the destination node ID of the route information request received from the communication device of the above is the own node ID, a predetermined confirmation message is added to the end of the route information request and transmitted to the node with the last ID on the reverse route to the outward route. When receiving a path information request including a node ID different from the own node ID from a communication device of another node, if there is no confirmation message, the ID of the own node and the remaining battery level are stored in a predetermined position at the end. I included in the route information request received in addition to
Send to all nodes that can communicate directly except D, and
If the confirmation message is present, the confirmation message is sent to the node having the ID immediately before the own node ID on the route reverse to the outward route, and the source node I of the route information request received from the communication device of the other node.
When D is the node ID and there is a confirmation message, the receiving relay means of the route information request to be output as return data, and receiving the return data, the minimum battery remaining amount of the return data of each route is the maximum. At least one route is selected and created as route selection data, stored in a predetermined area of the storage device, and when transmitting data, the route selection data from the storage device to the destination node is read. A route selecting means for outputting, and adding the route selection data received from the route selecting means before the transmission data and transmitting the transmission data. When the transmission data is received, the own node ID is set to the destination node ID of the route selection data. And a data transmitting / receiving means for taking in the received data when they match, and sending out the data to a node having an ID next to the own node ID when not matching. Route selection method. 6. A route selection method of a communication device for selecting a communication route between communication devices forming a plurality of nodes in a communication network, wherein the communication device has a predetermined identification uniquely identifying a node in the communication network. A storage device that stores in advance its own node ID, a directly communicable node ID with which direct communication is possible, and a required transmission power required for transmission, and has a storage area for storing a measured remaining battery level and selected route selection data. A battery remaining amount detecting means for detecting a remaining amount of the battery and storing the remaining amount in the storage device as a battery remaining amount; a source node ID and a destination node ID at a predetermined time;
Path information requesting means for forming a path information request including the remaining battery level and the required transmission power of the own node at a predetermined position by inserting the own node ID into the source node ID and transmitting the request to all nodes capable of directly communicating If the destination node ID of the route information request received from the communication device of another node is the own node ID, a predetermined confirmation message is added to the end of the route information request and To the node with the ID of
When receiving a route information request different from the own node ID from the communication device of another node, if there is no confirmation message, the ID of the own node, the remaining battery level, and the required transmission power amount are added to the end of the predetermined number. Send to all directly communicable nodes other than the node ID included in the route information request received in addition to the location, and if there is the confirmation message, the own node ID in the reverse route to the outward route Of the route information request transmitted from the communication device of the other node to the node having the previous ID, and if the source node ID of the route information request received from the communication device of the other node is the own node ID and there is a confirmation message, the route information request is output as return data. Receiving relay means, receiving the return data, selecting at least one path having a minimum value obtained by dividing the remaining battery power of the return data of each path by the transmission power, and selecting at least one path as path selection data; Work Route selection means for reading and outputting route selection data from the storage device to the destination node when transmitting data and storing the data in a predetermined area of the storage device; and The route selection data is added before the transmission data and transmitted. When the transmission data is received, if the own node ID matches the destination node ID of the route selection data, the received data is fetched. A data transmission / reception means for transmitting data to a node having an ID in the order following the own node ID.